|
Date: Date: 11/26/2006
Philadelphia Eagles At
Indianapolis Colts
at RCA Dome
Start Time: 8:21 PM EST
Game Day Weather
Played Indoor on Turf: FieldTurf
Outdoor Weather: Mostly cloudy, 57 degrees
Officials
Referee: William F. Carollo (63)
Line Judge: Byron Boston (18)
Field Judge: Eddy Powers (38) Umpire: Bill Schuster (129)
Side Judge: James Coleman (95)
Replay Official: Bob Boylston Head Linesman: John Schleyer (21)
Back Judge: Bob Waggoner (25)
The first 3 quarters was a hell of a show as it began
to get rather boring to watch towards the end . . .
Touchdown, Colts! Touchdown,
Colts! Touchdown, Colts! Touchdown,
Colts! Touchdown, Colts! Touchdown,
Colts! Touchdown, Colts!
Eagles - 0 Eagles - 0 Eagles -
0 Eagles - 3 Eagles - 0
Eagles - 0 . . .
Hell, we started letting them score.
Filling in for star quarterback Donovan McNabb, who
suffered a season-ending knee injury last week, Jeff Garcia threw for
two scores and Brian Westbrook ran for over 100 yards for a third
straight game, but it wasn't enough to overcome The Colts as they
paved right through the Philadelphia Eagles. The Colts blew the
Eagles defense off the line of scrimmage, locked them down in the
second level and did anything they wanted in the air and on the ground.
But the Eagles couldn't blame this one on McNabb's
absence. From a poor early decision to challenge Reggie Wayne's
one-handed, 38-yard catch to a botched double-pass that was picked
off by Nick Harper
to
David Akers' missed 36-yard field goal,
the game was filled with mistakes.
Indianapolis opened the season with a precarious chase
of perfection through the air. They were finally grounded, and on
Sunday night, Joseph Addai took off running.
Against a strong Philadelphia defense, the running
back slashed and powered his way to a career-high 171 yards, setting
a franchise rookie record by scoring four touchdowns in the Colts'
45-21 rout of the Eagles.
Peyton Manning was generally a spectator in this game.
Instead, Addai was the one making offense look easy, with his
slashing runs, quick burst and overpowering style eating up chunks of
yardage on nearly all 24 carries.
Addai, who entered this week as the top rookie runner
in the NFL, had 91 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the first
half to tie a Colts' rookie record for scores, first set by Billy
Vessels in 1956.
Addai rushed for 171 yards and four touchdowns, tying
the team record for rushing touchdowns in a game set by
Eric
Dickerson against Denver on Oct. 31, 1988.
He also caught two passes for 37 yards, giving him 208
total yards.
Addai's four touchdowns tied an NFL rookie record for
rushing scores in one game.
Pro Football Hall of Fame member Eric Dickerson is the
only other Colt who has rushed for four touchdowns. He did it against
Denver on Halloween night in 1988. Seven others have run for three
and they include names like Alan Ameche and Lenny Moore, also Hall of
Famers, Marshall Faulk, who is headed there, and Edgerrin James, who
might have been.
Addai also broke a franchise record for points scored
by a rookie in a game - the previous high was 18, reached in 1956,
1994 and 1996.
Peyton Manning went 14-for-20 with 183 yards and one
touchdown and one interception.
Manning reached another milestone in the game as he
became the fastest player in league history to reach 3,000
completions. He accomplished the feat on his first completion of the
game, a 17-yard completion to Reggie Wayne on the Colts' second pass
play. He reached 3,000 completions in 139 games, breaking the record
of 146 games shared by Dan Marino and Drew Bledsoe.
Wayne finished the game with four catches for 77 yards
and a touchdown.
The victory put the Colts (10-1) on the verge of
clinching a playoff berth for the seventh time in eight seasons. The
Colts can win the AFC South title next week with a victory at
Tennessee or a Jacksonville loss at Miami.
ON WITH THE SHOW . . .
FIRST QUARTER
The Colts won the toss and received. David Akers
kicked off and Terrence Wilkins was back to return the kick. Torrance
Daniels made a great tackle and the Colts started on their 21-yard line.
Colts Ball
On first down, Dominic Rhodes ran right and was
tackled by Trent Cole after a 3-yard gain. On second and 7, Peyton
Manning went to Marvin Harrison over the middle and the throw was
incomplete. On third and 7, Manning completed a throw to Reggie Wayne
for a first down at the 41-yard line. Sheldon Brown nearly made the
breakup, but the play went for 17 yards.
Then Manning went to the left side again for Wayne,
good for a first down at the Eagles 48-yard line.
Rhodes carried right on first down and gained 6 yards.
Brian Dawkins missed a tackle on a Rhodes run to the right side and
he gained 5 yards.
From the 37, Manning threw short to Rhodes, who
outraced Matt McCoy for a 13-yard gain to the 24. On first down from
there, Joseph Addai gained 9 yards on a run to the right side.
On second and 1 from the 15, Addai ran left, slipped
past a Roderick Hood attempted tackle,
Running back Joseph Addai #29 of the Indianapolis
Colts breaks away from Roderick Hood #29 of the Philadelphia Eagles,
for a 15-yard touchdown run in the first quarter November 26, 2006 at
the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan
Daniel/Getty Images)
and scampered into the end zone for a touchdown.
.
With 10:06 remaining in the first quarter, the
Colts led 7-0 after Adam Vinatieri's PAT.
The Colts drove 79 yards in 9 plays.
Eagles Ball
Reno Mahe returned the ensuing kickoff to the 23-yard
line, and that is where Jeff Garcia started his first drive.
Brian Westbrook carried up the middle on first down
for 3 yards. On second and 7, Garcia handed off to Westbrook from
shotgun formation and Garcia gained 4 yards to the 30. On third and
3, Westbrook gained 10 yards for a first down to the 40.
From there, Westbrook caught a screen pass on the
right side and picked up 11 yards to the Colts 49-yard line.
Then Garcia dropped back, stepped away from pressure
and tried to get the ball to Correll Buckhalter over the middle. The
pass was low and incomplete. On second and 10, Garcia called timeout.
Garcia threw complete for L.J. Smith on the right side
for a gain of 8 yards. On third and 2 from the Colts 41, Westbrook
took a pitch to the right side, ran into a pile and tried to make
something of nothing inside. He was tackled at the spot of the first
down, and gained the first down by a nose of the football.
On first down from the 39, Garcia hit Donte Stallworth
on a quick screen to the right side. He eluded the tackle, but was
quickly wrapped up after a 1-yard gain. On 2nd-and-9, Westbrook took
the handoff and went to the left side for a 2-yard gain to the
36-yard line. On 3rd-and-7, Garcia out of the shotgun hit Greg Lewis
in a 4-WR set, who held on despite a big hit for 13 yards and the
first down. On 1st down from the 23, Westbrook took the handoff and
went up the middle for a 4-yard gain to the 19. On second down,
Garcia hit Westbrook on a screen to the right side for a 4-yard gain.
On 3rd-and-2, Westbrook bounced out to the right side and was
swallowed up for a 3-yard loss.
David Akers, with the ball on the right hash, pushed
the 36-yard attempt wide left.
Colts Ball
From the 26-yard line, Addai ran right and was stopped
by Cole for no gain. But then Manning went to Wayne down the left
sideline against Sheldon Brown and Wayne made a terrific catch with
his left hand extended to reach the Philadelphia 36-yard line.
Indianapolis Colts wide
receiver Reggie Wayne, right, gets his toe in bounds to make a catch
for 38-yards in front of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown
in the first quarter of NFL football action in Indianapolis, Sunday,
Nov. 26, 2006. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
The Eagles challenged the call.
After a review, Wayne was credited with a 38-yard
catch and the Colts were in scoring position again.
Matt Kryger
Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne celebrates as his one
handed catch was ruled in bounds in the first quarter.
Addai ran right again and danced his way for 11 yards
to the 25. Then Addai blew through a hole up the middle for 15 more
yards to the 10 as the quarter ended.
SECOND QUARTER
Colts Ball
continued . . .
Addai continued where he left off in the first quarter
by taking a handoff and running through a huge hole on the left side
10 yards for a touchdown.
Sam Riche
Indy's Joseph Addai scores his second TD of the game.
Dhani Jones was pushed out of the way and Addai went
into the end zone untouched as the Colts, after
the PAT, went up 14-0.
The Colts went 74 yards in 5 plays, taking only 1:53
off the clock.
Eagles Ball
Mahe returned the next kickoff to the Colts 46-yard
line, a 49-yard return.
On first down, Garcia threw left for Hank Baskett on a
lateral. Baskett then threw down the field intended for Westbrook,
but Nick Harper made the interception and returned it to the Colts
40-yard line.
Colts Ball
Manning threw for Rhodes on first down, but Jones and
Trotter were there for a tackle and a 1-yard loss. But Manning came
right back with a 10-yard completion to Ben Utecht. On third and 1,
Addai ran left and gained a first down at the Eagles 43-yard line.
A Rhodes run right was snuffed out by Trotter for a
4-yard loss. On second and 14, the Colts committed a false-start
penalty and moved back 5 yards. On second and 19, Rhodes ran right
for 13 yards. On third and 6, Manning threw in the flat for Addai,
who left Trotter in his dust and gained 16 yards.
Addai took a pitch to the right side and picked up 6
yards. On second and 4, Addai gained 2 more yards to the 15-yard
line. On third and 2, Addai ran left and scored easily as the Colts
blew the Eagles defense off the ball again.
Sam Riche
Colts RB Joseph Addai heads to the endzone on for his
third TD of the game.
The PAT made it 21-0 with
8:58 left in the quarter.
The Colts drove 60 yards on 9 plays, using 5:38 off
the clock.
Eagles Ball
Following a touchback, Garcia and the Eagles went
three-and-out, gaining five yards on those plays before giving way to
Dirk Johnson for his first punt of the game.
Colts Ball
Johnson's punt was returned 19 yards by Terrence Wilkins.
From the Eagles' 48, Rhodes was stopped for no gain on
first down. Manning was flushed from the pocket on second down and
threw incomplete. Manning threw incomplete on third down and the
Colts were forced to punt. Hunter Smith punted 36 yards to the
Eagles' 12-yard line where Mahe called for a fair catch.
Eagles Ball
From the 12, Garcia found Reggie Brown for 6 yards.
Westbrook then picked up 6 yards off left tackle. Following a false
start penalty, Correll Buckhalter took a short pass from Garcia and
converted that into a 7-yard gain. The offense moved the chains with
Garcia finding Smith in the middle for a 9-yard gain.
From the Eagles' 35, Garcia threw short right for
Stallworth, who netted 8 yards. Westbrook then took a handoff and
exploded for 21 yards. From the Colts' 36, Garcia flipped a shovel
pass to Westbrook, who gained 17 yards. Buckhalter followed with runs
of 13 and 5 yards as the Eagles moved to the Colts' 1-yard line.
Garcia then capped the 10-play, 88-yard drive with a touchdown toss
to a wide-open Smith to put the Eagles on the board.
Colts 21
- Eagles 7
Colts Ball
Wilkins returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to set
up the Colts offense with just over a minute remaining in the first half.
Clark was injured when Sean Considine tackled him
after a 4-yard completion with 34 seconds left in the second quarter.
Clark's right leg got caught in the turf and dragged awkwardly
underneath him before he hit the ground.
He stayed down and after taking off his helmet put
both hands on top of his forehead in obvious pain.
Clark came into the game as Indianapolis'
fourth-leading receiver with 25 catches for 307 yards and four TDs.
The injury occurred on his first catch of the night.
Manning and Co. drove 33 yards on seven plays and
closed out the half with Adam Vinatieri's 44-yard field goal and a 24-7 lead.
Colts tight end Dallas Clark limped off the field and
went straight to the locker room after hurting his right knee just
before halftime Sunday night.
THIRD QUARTER
The Colts announced at the start of the second half
that Clark sprained his knee. His return was questionable.
Sam Riche
An injured Dallas Clark returned
to the field out of uniform after being hurt in second quarter action.
Eagles Ball
Mahe returned the kickoff to his own 21-yard line. On
first down, Westbrook bounced outside to his left and gained 16
yards. From the 37, Garcia scrambled for 7 yards. On second-and-3,
Buckhalter was cut down in the backfield for a 2-yard loss. Westbrook
took a third-down pass but was swarmed by Colts defenders after a
2-yard gain. The Eagles were forced to punt.
Colts Ball
The Colts took over at their 11. Addai started things
with two runs for 20 yards. Manning then connected with Bryan
Fletcher for 18 yards as the offense approached midfield. From there,
Addai rushed twice for 11 yards and hauled in a 21-yard reception.
Manning later converted a third-down pass to Ben
Utecht and then fired an 11-yard scoring strike to Wayne for a 31-7 lead.
Matt Kryger
Colts Reggie Wayne catches a touchdown pass from
Peyton Manning in the third quarter.
Eagles Ball
Following the ensuing kickoff, the Eagles took
possession at their 25. Westbrook started things with a pair of runs
for 16 yards. Garcia later converted a third-and-7 with a nice pass
to Greg Lewis. The play was good for 13 yards and moved the ball to
the Colts' 43.
Westbrook then found running room off left tackle and
picked up 16 yards. Three plays later, Garcia converted another third
down. This time, he found Baskett over the middle for 16 yards. Two
plays later, Garcia fired a perfectly-thrown slant to Reggie Brown
for 3 yards and a touchdown.
Colts 31 -Eagles 14
The drive went 75 yards on 11 plays. The possession
lasted for nearly six minutes.
Colts Ball
Wilkins returned the ensuing kickoff to the Colts' 28.
Rhodes gained 4 yards on a first-down run as the third quarter expired.
FOURTH QUARTER
Colts Ball
continued . . .
Rhodes was stuffed for no gain on second down. Manning
threw incomplete on third and the Colts were forced to punt.
Eagles Ball
The Eagles, from deep in their own zone, failed to
generate much offense and went three-and-out, punting back to Indy.
Colts Ball
From his own 36, Manning threw incomplete on first
down. However,a penalty on Matt McCoy advanced the ball 5 yards.
Addai then rushed for 5 yards. On second down, Manning appeared to
hook up with Marvin Harrison, but Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard
emerged with the football and returned it 25 yards to Indy's 27-yard line.
Eagles Ball
From the 27, Westbrook picked up 2 yards up the
middle. Buckhalter then exploited a seam in the middle and converted
a pass into a 19-yard gain the Colts' 6. Westbrook took it the final
six yards on a run up the middle to close the Colts lead to 31-21.
Unfortunately, that's as close as they would come.
Colts Ball
Charlie Johnson, a rookie from Oklahoma State, saw his
first significant action as an offensive lineman with the Colts. The
6-5, 305-pound sixth-round draft choice was inserted on the first
possession when Diem went out.
Johnson moved to left tackle for one play when Tarik
Glenn went out briefly.
The Colts responded with plenty of Addai running the
football, marching 73 yards on 13 plays. Addai capped it with his
fourth touchdown of the game to put Indy up 38-21.
The rookie, Charlie Johnson had a key block on Eagles
safety Brian Dawkins on the first of rookie Joseph Addai's four
rushing touchdowns.
The drive took over six minutes off the clock.
Eagles Ball
On the Eagles next possession, Garcia was sacked with
the credit going to Robert Mathis as Mathis strips the ball from
Garcia from behind and Dwight Freeney nails him from the side.
The loose ball was recovered by Kelvin Hayden,
who took it 26 yards for a touchdown and a commanding
45-21 lead.
A.J. Feeley came on for the Eagles final series. After
moving the ball 30-plus yards, Feeley was sacked and fumbled the football.
Colts Ball
Manning then took a knee to close out the game.
FINAL: Colts 45, Eagles 21
NOTES:
COLTS
The Colts have won five of the
past six games in the series
The victory gave Colts coach Tony
Dungy his fifth 10-victory season, a franchise record. The Colts have
gone 10-6, 12-4, 12-4, 14-2 and 10-1 since Dungy's arrival in 2002.
Don Shula coached the Colts to 10 or more victories four times.
It was the 400th regular season
win for the Colts franchise
Harper has three interceptions
this season, all against the NFC East.
Colts tight end Dallas Clark left
the game with a sprained right knee
Colts right tackle Ryan Diem left
the game during the first quarter with a back muscle injury and did
not return
Eagles
The Eagles have not won in
Indianapolis since December 1993
The Eagles family earlier this
week suffered a pair blows, as former strong safety Andre Waters
passed away at the age of 44 and former wide receiver Jack Ferrante
passed away at the age of 90
Westbrook had seven receptions for
46 yards
Philadelphia defensive tackle
Brodrick Bunkley was inactive after missing the team flight Saturday
Garcia sat out the final series
with a right forearm strain. Garcia said he could have played, but
decided against risking further any injury.
McNabb is scheduled to have
surgery Tuesday in Alabama. |
VS 
